The bizarre viral hit Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen (PPAP) by Pikotaro is the inspiration for a pop-up cafe in Tokyo that will open on November 1st and run through November 20th. It will serve up a variety of items that include, you guessed it, pineapples and apples. The “pens” appear to be made of chocolate—so there was some attempt at restraint here.

Personally, I love this idea. There should be a pop-up restaurant in the states for every viral phenomenon. What would you serve at a Ken Bone-themed restaurant? Discuss.

A Saved By The Bell-themed pop-up restaurant called Saved By The Max is open in Chicago and it’s like taking a walk right into the show.

This isn’t one of those limited option experiences, either. Saved By The Max serves up a menu by Michelin-starred chef Brian Fisher and serves dinner every night and brunch on the weekends. Your favorite characters have their own themed dishes on the menu (the Poutine Engel and Tori’s Fried Chicken both sound delicious), as well as a varied cocktail menu and desserts.

From the looks of it, it’s a lot of fun and you never know who might drop in. Mario Lopez was there not too long ago and so was Mr. Belding himself. But even if it’s just you and friends, Saved By The Max looks like a great night out. Check out some pics and videos below. [click to continue…]

A couple of weeks ago we reported on a Japanese Cafe being opened by Square-Enix. As mentioned, they were also planning to open an eSports establishment in Ikebukuro. As it turns out, the new restaurant is called “Storia”, and the concept centers around diners watching people play video games while they eat.

Screens are set up around the venue showing the game currently in play, with one massive screen on the exterior of the building. The gamers themselves taking pride of place on a center stage. The restaurant already has events scheduled featuring play sessions of Dragon Quest Monsters Super Light, Dissidia, and Street Fighter V, and they even have a raffle allowing diners the chance to enter and play the games themselves.

It’s a nifty concept, especially considering the expanding popularity of stuff like Let’s Play videos and eSports over the last few years. But is it catchy enough to sustain itself? Only time will tell. For now, though, you can check out photos of the venue – as well as some of their menu items below. [click to continue…]

While there’s no word on whether or not the servers are talking pieces of furniture, The Beauty and the Beast Cafe in Yokohama, Japan features a wonderful decor style that evokes the atmosphere of the popular fairy tale. From the chateau-style theme to the Belle-inspired dishes (like the “Belle Lunch,” pictured below, which features an omelette that looks like Belle in her ball gown), the restaurant seems to capture the Beauty and the Beast vibe nicely. Check out more pics below. [click to continue…]

Square Enix have announced the opening of a brand new cafe in Akihabara, Japan that will feature rotating themes based on Square Enix games. Naturally, Final Fantasy XV is first on the list with a menu that includes a number of items like soups, salads, burgers, roast beef with rice, and dipping pancakes. Nice!

Not surprisingly, this isn’t their first food establishment – they opened Artnia, an oddly-shaped cafe with a suitably futuristic decor, in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Eastside back in 2012, and they have an eSports bar opening in Ikebukuro before the end of the year. Check out samples from the Square Enix Cafe menu below. [click to continue…]

A taste of the state fair will be heading to one Plano, Texas Walmart in the form of a new in-store restaurant owned by Texas State Fair fried food legend Isaac Rousso. It’s a match made in Heaven…or Hell depending on how you look at it.

State Fair Treats will open at the location on September 20th, serving fair favorites like corn dogs and funnel cakes, as well as a variety of more experiential fare, such as funnel cake fries, deep-fried bacon hash browns and cookie fries—the latter of which was a big hit at the Texas State Fair this year.

It’s expected that the location will serve up to 2 million customers in the next year. Additional stores are also being planned in Texas and across the nation.

As if there wasn’t enough to see and explore in Paris already, it turns out that there’s a Star Wars-themed creperie called The Odyssey in the Latin Quarter near Notre Dame. The interior features a Death Star-themed decor style, and the various crepe dishes all have sci-fi-inspired names like the Vulcan (Trek!) and the Gallifrey (Doctor Who!). Take a tour of sorts with the video and pictures below. [click to continue…]